New York to Establish 36,000 Muslim Burial Plots for Bangladeshi Community

A major initiative aimed at addressing the long-term shortage of Muslim burial space for New York’s Bangladeshi community is underway, with plans to develop a cemetery featuring approximately 36,000 burial plots, along with a mosque, funeral home, and flexible installment payment options for families.

The project is being led by Fuad Hossain, a Life and Health Insurance Agent at New York Senior Adult Day Care, and Zahid Alam, the organization’s Chief Financial Officer. The two organizers said they have acquired a large tract of land located about an hour from New York City to establish the cemetery.

According to the organizers, the idea emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the sharp rise in deaths created significant challenges for Bangladeshi Muslim families seeking burial space for their loved ones. They said the project is intended to ensure that no family faces similar difficulties in the future.

They emphasized that the initiative is not a commercial venture, but rather a community service project designed to provide a permanent, dignified, and accessible burial solution for Muslim families. Once operational, the cemetery will offer a dedicated burial site within roughly an hour’s drive of New York City.

In addition to burial plots, the facility will include a mosque for funeral and daily prayers, a funeral home, and refrigerated body storage to support funeral and burial services. The organizers also plan to introduce installment payment options to make burial costs more affordable for families who may be unable to pay the full amount upfront.

Fuad Hossain and Zahid Alam said the cemetery is expected to be officially inaugurated in the near future. They expressed hope that the project will become a vital community institution, providing long-term support and essential burial services for Bangladeshi Muslims in the New York area.